Foot massaging device



y 7,1946. o. v. POTTER 2,400 023 FOO'I MASSAGING DEVICE Filed Sept. 1, 1944 3mm 0. U'P zzer Patented May 7, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOOT MASSAGING DEVICE Orville V. Potter, Sacramento, Calif.

Application September 1, 1944, Serial No. 552,232

4 Claims. (01. 36-85) This invention relates in general to, and it is an object to provide, a novel foot massaging device; such device being useful to overcome softness of the feet and to toughen and strengthen the same against the physical strain and distress which otherwise frequently results from fatigue of the feet, and to relieve foot troubles arising from the wearing of improperly fitting shoes. In addition the device is useful to condition the feet against certain foot diseases; to stimulate circulation of blood in the feet with resultant advantages; and to maintain the feet healthy and improve muscle tone.

Another object of th present invention is to provide a foot massaging device which comprises a boot of a heavy-duty but flexible material, such boot being relatively deep in the foot part, a quantity of sand or the like disposed in said boot part but only partially filling the same, and means to close the boot at the top about the wearers leg so as to prevent escape of the sand as the enclosed foot is manipulated or massaged in such sand.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device, and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawing similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device.

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of the device illustrating the manner of its use.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawing, my improved massaging device comprises a boot I formed of a relatively heavy-duty flexible material such as canvas, such boot including an angle part 2, a sole 3, and a top part 4. The boot is relatively deeper between the sole 3 and the top part 4 than an ordinary shoe, whereby a layer of sand 5 or other granular material may be disposed in the boot while still permitting entry of a person's foot 6 freely thereinto. The layer of sand 5 is of substantial depth, as shown, and the dimensions of the boot are such that when a persons foot 6 rests on said layer there is ample room in the boot for manipulative movement of said foot.

At the upper end of the ankle part 2 the boot includes a drawstring 1 which is adapted to close said ankle part of the boot about the wearer's leg, as at 8, and for the purpose of preventing escape of the sand from the boot during the massaging operation.

In use, when the device is applied to a persons foot, as is clearly shown in Figthe wearer works the foot about in and upon the layer of sand 5, and which manipulation may be carried out under the weight of the wearer to further intensify the massaging action.

The massaging movement may be circular, arching, figure 8, right or left, or forward and backward, or a combination of these movements.

By continued and repeated massage of the feet with the above described device, the feet are toughened and strengthened, muscle tone is improved, the arch is strengthened, and the skin is conditioned so that it effectively resists foot diseases.

When the feet are maintained in a strong and healthy condition with my massaging device little foot trouble is encountered, and the pain and distress of tired and aching feet resulting from fatigue is reduced to a minimum.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A foot massaging device comprising a boot adapted to enclose a foot to be massaged, a layer of loose granular material in the boot and which forms the bottom of the boot with which the foot of the wearer of the boot comes into direct contact, the overall size of the interior of the boot being relatively larger than the foot of the wearer whereby the loose granular material may displace about the foot in conformity with foot movements of the wearer.

2. A device as in claim 1 in which the boot is made of readily flexible material.

3. A device as in claim 1 in which the granular material is sand.

4. A device as in claim 1 in which the boot is made of readily flexible material and means to draw the upper part of such flexible material tightly about the leg of the wearer to prevent slumping of such flexible material and escape of the loose granular material from the boot.

ORVILLE V. POTTER. 

